B727 crew had altitude overshoot.

Attributes
ACN	444080
Time
Date	199907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pub.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13600 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dassault-Breguet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 7800
ASRS Report	444080
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent into cos, block 5 autoplt failed to capture selected altitude, automatic capture function was armed. Contributing factors, besides system failure, include: 1) descent with power up and speed brakes extended to help reduce weight to maximum landing weight, 2) attention diverted to thunderstorm avoidance, navigation to avoid restr area, 3) radio frequency change, 4) completion of checklist, 5) approach planning. When the autoplt did not capture the selected altitude, I immediately disconnected it and leveled off at the proper altitude as quickly and safely as possible, it's good to remember that we can't always depend on automatic system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW HAD ALT OVERSHOOT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO COS, BLOCK 5 AUTOPLT FAILED TO CAPTURE SELECTED ALT, AUTOMATIC CAPTURE FUNCTION WAS ARMED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, BESIDES SYS FAILURE, INCLUDE: 1) DSCNT WITH PWR UP AND SPD BRAKES EXTENDED TO HELP REDUCE WT TO MAX LNDG WT, 2) ATTN DIVERTED TO TSTM AVOIDANCE, NAV TO AVOID RESTR AREA, 3) RADIO FREQ CHANGE, 4) COMPLETION OF CHKLIST, 5) APCH PLANNING. WHEN THE AUTOPLT DID NOT CAPTURE THE SELECTED ALT, I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED IT AND LEVELED OFF AT THE PROPER ALT AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE, IT'S GOOD TO REMEMBER THAT WE CAN'T ALWAYS DEPEND ON AUTOMATIC SYS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.